The Syntax of Early English - Cryptm.org

An outline of Old English syntax 51topics and question elements do not occur in subordinate clauses of this type.The constituent preceding the finite verb is always the subject (nominal or pronominal),except in special constructions such as passives. Moreover, verbfronting in main clauses is vastly more frequent than in subordinate clauses.It has often been said that English changed from an OV language to a VOlanguage. But this statement requires considerable qualification, since even inOld English, there is a good deal of variation between OV and VO wordorders. We saw above that in main clauses, and to a more limited extent inembedded clauses, the finite verb can be fronted. It therefore comes as no surprisethat VO word orders are most frequent in clauses with a single finitelexical verb, since fronting of the finite verb very often results in VO wordorder. This is illustrated by (32), repeated here as (38a), and by (38b):(38) a. We habba hwæere a bysne on halgum bocum‘We have, nevertheless, the examples in holy books’(ÆCHom I, 31.474.33)b. æt he forgeafe godne willan am seocan hæenanthat he granted good will the sick heathen‘that he granted good will to the sick heathen’ (ÆCHom II, 2.12.28)Given the fact that the finite verb can be fronted, it is only to be expected thatin subject-initial sentences, a single finite lexical verb follows the subject,resulting in an SVO order. This is much more frequent in main clauses, whichis again unsurprising because verb fronting is more prominently establishedthere. The position of the non-finite verb, unlike that of the finite verb, is independentof clause type. This is where we get a picture of variation between OVand VO word orders, and it becomes clear that objects and PPs can appear onthe left or the right of the non-finite verb in main (39a–b) and embedded(39c–f) clauses alike (the nonfinite verbs are italicized):(39) a. es mann nolde cyan am syngigendum heora synnathis man not-wanted make-known the sinning their sins‘this man would not make known to the sinning their sins’(ÆCHom II, 22.194.148)b. Se mæssepreost sceal mannum bodian one soan geleafanthe masspriest must people preach the true faith‘The masspriest must preach the true faith to the people’(Ælet2(Wulfstan1) 175)c. e geearnian wile ece myrhe æt am soan Godewho earn wants eternal joy from the true God‘who wants to earn eternal joy from the true God’ (WHom 7.22)d. æt hi urum godum geoffrian magon ancwure onsægednyssethat they our gods offer may grateful sacrifice‘that they may offer a grateful sacrifice to our gods’(ÆCHom I, 38.592.31)